Celebrating Men's Health Week

June 10-16 marks Men’s Health Week.

The awareness and adoption of smart wellness practices can have a direct impact on male fertility, not to mention the prospect of living to see your future children grow up. Let’s look at some of the ways you can optimize your health:

1. Cardiovascular health – Heart attack and stroke remain major killers in developed countries, largely due to a combination of poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. Take steps now to keep your heart and blood vessels in good shape. Regular exercise can prevent or reduce hypertension, which damages blood vessels and forces the heart to pump with excessive force. (Healthy blood vessels can also prevent erectile dysfunction; conversely, ED can indicate a potential cardiovascular problem.)
2. Weight – Obesity is a major epidemic these days, and a gateway to diabetes, heart disease, and other life-shortening conditions. In men, it may also affect the temperature in the scrotum, lower testosterone levels and reduce the sperm count. Healthy foods in appropriate portions can help you keep your waistline in line.
3. Tobacco and alcohol use – The smoking habit is a tough one to kick, so either don’t start or get the help you need to quit. Alcohol can also damage your health in excess. Although a couple of drinks per day may benefit the hearts of otherwise healthy men, heavy drinking causes liver damage, a weakening of the heart muscle and high blood pressure. Like smoking, it raises for risk for cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus. Too much alcohol can also make sexual performance problematic — an unnecessary extra hurdle when trying to start a family.

Here at Palm Beach Fertility Center, we want you to have the family of your dreams, but we also want you to enjoy a full life with them. So here’s to your health!